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Death Proof
Death Proof is a 2007 American thriller film written, cinematographed, and directed by Quentin Tarantino. The film centers on a psychopathic stunt man who stalks young women before murdering them in staged car. Distributed by Columbia Pictures and Produced by Troublemaker Studios. accidents using his “death-proof” stunt car. The film is a tribute to exploitation, muscle cars, and slasher film genres of the 1970s, and stars Kurt Russell, Zoë Bell, Rosario Dawson, Vanessa Ferlito, Jordan Ladd, Sydney Tamiia Poitier, Tracie Thoms, Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Rose McGowan. Death Proof was released theatrically in the United States as part of a double feature with Robert Rodriguez’s Planet Terror under the collective title Grindhouse in order to replicate the experience of viewing exploitation film double features in a "grindhouse" theater. The films were released separately outside the United States and on DVD, with Death Proof going on sale in the United States on September 18, 2007. Plot Three friends -– Arlene (Vanessa Ferlito), Shanna (Jordan Ladd), and radio DJ “Jungle” Julia Lucai (Sydney Tamiia Poitier) -– drive down Colorado Street in Austin, Texas, on their way to celebrate Jungle Julia's birthday. While bar-crawling, Julia reveals that she made a radio announcement earlier that morning, offering a free lap dance from Arlene in return for addressing her as "Butterfly," buying her a drink, and reciting a segment of the poem “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.” They are unaware they are being stalked by an aging and sadistic Hollywood stunt double, “Stuntman” Mike (Kurt Russell). After trailing them to a bar, Mike follows the instructions from the radio announcement to get the lap-dance. Despite some initial trepidation, due to having seen Mike's car earlier in the day, and asking if he has been following them, Mike puts her at ease (partly by saying she's chicken), and Arlene agrees to the dance. The three women prepare to depart, while Pam (Rose McGowan), another intoxicated female bar patron, has been impressed by Mike and accepts a ride home from him, considering him to be teetotaler and a safe ride. Mike takes Pam to his matte black 1970 Chevy Nova, which is a stunt car rigged with a safety cage inside. As Mike drives Pam off, it becomes clear he is trying to kill her, reminding her that his car is "death proof", but only to the driver. Since the passenger side has no safety restraints at all, he kills her by driving recklessly and then slamming on the brakes, which smashes her skull into the dashboard. Mike speeds off, leaving behind photos he took earlier of the three other women, so as not to get caught with any evidence. He eventually comes on their car on an empty road, and drives at full speed directly into it. The force of the impact kills all four women. (There was an older lady driver in the car known as Lena Frank, who they met up with earlier at the bar.) The local hospital finds Mike with only minor injuries, and asserts that since Mike was sober while the four women were intoxicated, he cannot be charged. This concerns Texas Ranger Earl McGraw, who is convinced Mike is guilty but cannot investigate without evidence. McGraw warns Mike that should this happen again, he'd "make damn sure" it wasn't in Texas. The film jumps to fourteen months later, where three young women, Abernathy Ross (Rosario Dawson), Kim Mathis (Tracie Thoms) and Lee Montgomery (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) are traveling through Lebanon, Tennessee. They stop briefly at a convenience store, where Mike is resting in his new ride, a 1969 Dodge Charger, and is intrigued by the women. The women, unaware of Mike, pick up their friend, stuntwoman Zoë Bell (who is playing herself), from the airport. Zoe informs them she wants to test-drive a white 1970 Dodge Challenger, exactly the same type of car from the 1971 film, Vanishing Point, which just happens to be nearby. After they get to the car's location, Abernathy tries to convince the owner, Jasper, to let them "test drive" it alone. He refuses at first, but after Abernathy tells him Lee will stay behind (under the false pretense that they are in town to film a porno, of which Lee is the star), he agrees. In the process of all this, Zoe reveals to Abernathy and Kim that she has an ulterior motive in taking the car; she wants to play a game called "Ship's Mast", where she rides on the car's hood using only leather belts to hold onto, while Kim drives it at high speeds. The three enjoy the stunt, until Mike shows up and rear ends their car at high speed. The two cars engage in a harrowing high-speed chase for a distance before they both spin out on opposite sides of the roads, and Zoe is finally thrown from the car's hood. Mike gets out to brag to the girls but Kim fires a gun, wounding him in the shoulder. As Mike gets back in the car and flees, Zoe shows that she is ok, and the three women agree to get revenge on Mike. Wounded, Mike is not able to outrun the women, and eventually his car flips. The women pull him from the car and beat him savagely in the head until he falls unconscious. After a short credits sequence, Abernathy delivers a final axe kick to Mike's head, crushing his skull. Characters *Kurt Russell as Stuntman Mike McKay: A sociopathic/psychopathic Stuntman who is the brother of Stuntman Bob McKay and the stunt double for such shows as the The Western and a Gary Clark special. He murders attractive grandae platter women with his stunt car and covers up the killings as a car accident. His first group of women chosen in the film are: Jungle Julia Lucai The Radio DJ of Austin, Texas who has a birthday on the day of her death, Arlene who is broadcasted out as the Infamous Butterfly who will give the first man who recites a certain poem and buys her a drink a lap dance, Shanna a blonde haired woman who hates the name Shauna and is the daughter of the titular Ben who owns a lakehouse they were on their way to, Lena Frank the woman supplying Marijuana for Julia, Arlene and Shanna who'se vehicle is used for their transportation to Lake Elby Jay and last of the girls Pam: An angelic long blonde haired woman who was left stranded in the rain by her date and forced to walk to the Texas Chilli Parlor where she was seeking a ride home for which Mike gives her. *Zoe Bell as Herself: New Zealand Stuntwoman who has done film jobs with Abernathy Ross and Kim Mathis. She is picked up at the airport in Lebannon by Kim, Abernathy and Lee Montgomery so they can chill out whilest they on notify for their latest film jobs. Zoe has only come to American though after discovering in the town of Lebannon there is a 1957 White Dodge Challenger which she wants to test drive and by extension use to play Ship's Mass. *Rosario Dawson as Abernathy Ross: American Actress raised on the girl films like Pretty in Pink and friend of Kim Mathis, Zoe Bell and Lee Montgomery. Abernathy has a crush on her latest film jobs' director Cecil Evans. She however is still angered at him for sleeping with Daryl Hannah's stunt double on her birthday. She does the make-up for the film and most recently for their untitled film they're working on has done make-up for Lindsey Lohan. Abernathy coaxes Jasper the owner of the Dodge Challenger into letting her, Zoe and Kim take it for a test drive while he can get acquintaned with their friend Lee. She is the one who kills Stuntman Mike with an axe-kick to the head which crushes his skull and breaks his neck. *Tracie Thoms as Kimberly "Kim" Mathis: Gearhead stunt double who is working on the film by Cecil Evans. She has worked with Abernathy Ross and Zoe Bell in the past and is recently now working with Abernathy and new found friend Lee Montgomery. Kim was raised on films like Gone In 60 Seconds and The Vanishing for which Zoe was also raised. Kim is the driver of the challenger whilest Zoe is on the hood playing Ship's Mass. *Vanessa Ferlito as Arlene Butterfly: Friend of Shanna, Lena Frank, Marcie and Jungle Julia. Arlene is on an on and off relationship with Nate who she has fooled around with a little on the couch which by definition means kissing. She is broadcasted over the radio by Julia as a sexy friend named Buttefly who will offer the first man who recites a certain poem to her and buys her a drink a lap dance. Mike recites the poem and buys her and Julia a drink which wins a lap dance. He also uses the insecurity that she doesn't want to be labelled a chicken shit to make sure he gets his lap dance. Arlene is killed as Mike's Death Proof car collides with Lena's which propells one of his car's tyres into her face. *Sydney Tamiia Poitier as Jungle Julia Lucai: Radio DJ for 505 Hot Wax and girlfriend of Christian Simonsen. She went to the same kindergarten, primary school and high school as Pam and greatly dislikes her up until Mike gives her a ride. She is the friend of Shanna, Arlene, Marcie and Lena. She likes to have her feet out alot and is killed as Mike's car collides with Lena's which tears her leg hanging out the car window off . *Rose McGowan as Pam: Long Blonde Haired woman who was terrorised by Jungle Julia at Kindergarten, Primary School and High School. She also implies that she has indeed beaten her up through that time period. Pam was left stranded by her date in the rain which is told by Arlene to Jungle Julia. Pam is forced to walk to the Texas Chilli Parlor for a ride which Mike offers to give her. She is killed just before Mike makes the collision with Lena Frank's vehicle via putting the car on instant brake which propels Pam onto the dashboard breaking her face. *Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Lee Montgomery: Young Actress who is in the latest copy of Allure. She is making a cheerleading movie which Jasper believes to be a porno. She has the piss taken out of her by Zoe Bell implying that she is racist. Lee was raised on girly movies just like Abernathy. Lee is left with the Dodge Challenger Propietor Jasper so that Zoe, Kim and Abernathy can take it for a test drive. *Jordan Ladd as Shanna: